Ministry of Agriculture to promote good food and healthy living

Friday, 19 June 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Ministry of Agriculture is taking take the lead in promoting good food and healthy living coinciding with the National Nutrition Month – June. Many events and activities have been planned and will be held from 27 and 28 June at Green Path, Colombo 7 at the ‘Good Food Festival and Northern Entrepreneur Exchange Program’. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday 27 June and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday 28 June.

The Ministry is in the process of developing a National Policy on Agriculture based on a bottom-up approach. In line with this vision this event too will focus on supporting local producers and enabling business linkages across regions. It combines nutrition promotion with small enterprise development to serve the public a unique technical, culinary, cultural, educational and entertaining experience.

A special zone devoted to agriculture promotion at the Good Food Festival will provide the public an opportunity to truly experience best practices related to nutrition and healthy living. Visitors to the event can treat themselves to fresh fruits and vegetables as well as innovative products like rice ice cream.

Dried fruit and dehydrated vegetables will also be available for those with hectic schedules, who do not have time for elaborate food preparation. They can also purchase plants and planting material for fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. Traditional rice varieties will also be available for the discerning customer. Flowers and foliage will be available for those looking to beautify their homes and gardens and add colour to the mundane concrete jungle that is in the city.

Hela Bojun – an initiative that promotes the consumption of indigenous food among the public – will be a highlight at the event. Officers from the Ministry will be on hand to give advice on how to eat healthy, how to prepare food so it does not lose its nutritional value, how to grow your own urban garden within small spaces and introduce best practices related to these activities.

Promoting good health through proper nutrition is high on the agenda of the Agriculture Ministry. Therefore the Ministry is partnering with the private sector, farmers associations from all parts of the country and community groups from many regions; in bringing the best agriculture has to offer to Colombo. This will be a great opportunity for the public in Colombo to learn everything about agriculture in one location. In addition to the Agri Zone managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Good Food Festival will consist of a Dairy Zone, Nutrition Zone, Kids Zone, Entrepreneur Zone and many more attractions for the entire family.

Those interested in partnering with this event can contact the Event Secretariat at Nucleus Foundation, 83C 1/1, Kandawatte Road, Nugegoda. Contact them on 0117 204 218, Fax: 0112 827 47 Email: [email protected].